Do you dry your own fresh herbs?

TastyReuben said:
I purposely left off microwave as an option, just to see if you'd respond. You did not disappoint! :highfive:
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Place dry herbs between 2 pieces of kitchen paper. Cook on high for 2 mins. If they are not brittle cook another 30 seconds and check. Repeat as required. Don't put too many herbs in at a time. Make sure they are completely dry before microwaving.
 
This thread is a timely reminder.....I forgot to dry any oregano last year so I had to buy some over the winter :headshake:Which is very annoying as the oregano grows far faster than we can use it so I always end up cutting it back and throwing it away.

So I've just put a load in to dry:
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I don't bother drying anything else....rosemary, sage and bay are all hardy so I can harvest and use them fresh year round.
 
caseydog said:
When I have an abundance of some herbs, especially oregano (which grows like weeds here), I cut a bunch and dry them. I just air dry them on a flat towel. It takes a while, but works for me. It wouldn't work in humid places.

I do NOT bother drying basil. Home-dried basil just doesn't seem to retain any flavor.

CD
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I freeze basil and cilantro. Works for me, rest I just pick. I need a few more herbs like chives and tarragon?

Russ
 
TastyReuben said:
Drying Oregano

Drying Oregano


We'll see how that goes.

All that mint I pulled up and got rid of before winter, I just noticed it's rising from the dead. 🧟‍♂️
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My oregano is different from yours. Its close ground covering oregano. In fact it grows in parts of the lawn. So it wouldn't be possible to dry it by hanging it from the stems. I do want to try drying it though as I know oregano is one of those herbs that retains a great flavour when dried. I'll try the microwave method.
 
Ok, here's my progress:


Dried Herbs

Dried Herbs


None of them dried to the point of being crumbly in the hand, but I got tired of waiting, so I did the best I could with just tearing them up a bit. We'll see how they do when I cook something.

I'm drying some more, same method, hoping to fill those little jars.
 
I used to dry herbs in a west facing window. Did some research and found that I was wrong. Air circulation seems to be most important. I have read about oven, microwave and dehydrator drying. The consensus seems to be loss of flavor. Last week - I think - I hung some bunches of sage and rosemary from the light fixtures on a ceiling fan. Th fan stays on all day. The herbs are nearly dry. A couple or three more days and I can pull the leaves from the stems and store. I also made a fan folded aluminum foil drying rack for thyme and dill. The foliage is so small that it makes a mess when hung to dry. I put that on the dresser in the spare bedroom with the ceiling fan on. They are almost dry. My learning experience is that air circulation is the most important factor.
 
If I hung herbs from the ceiling fan, I'm pretty sure I'd be looking for a new place to live. :)
 
ElizabethB said:
Silly - not from the fan but from the lights below the fan. I think the air circulation is the key.
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MrsTasty would draw the line at vegetation hanging from any part of our light fixtures, I'm sure. She was none too thrilled with the rather discreet idea of hanging them from the bar. I got a definite🤨 for that one. :)
 
I know you have been disappointing in the time necessary to dry your herbs. Do you have a fan that you could aim at your hanging herbs to provide air circulation? The herbs that I hung from the ceiling fan light fixtures are nearly dry after only a week +/-.
Who cares what it looks like. No guest at this time. It is actually kind of cool looking. Kind of an Earth Mother feel.
 
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